Tag: Diwali

The Joy Box! Modern Public School lights up the darkness this Diwali by distributing boxes full of goodies among the underprivileged

To light up the darkness this Diwali and to bring happiness and comfort into the lives of the underprivileged people, Modern Public School took up another initiative under the banner titled Joy Box. Under this initiative, the teachers, the staff, the students, and their parents prepared Joy Boxes, full of clothes, books, colours, toys, and several other items of everyday use. The school then joined hands with Interact Club and Roti Bank to distribute the boxes to the underprivileged living in the slum areas near Shalimar Bagh , Azadpur, Pitam Pura (local vendors , construction sites , rickshaw pullers , roadside children). The initiative was conducted as part of the Humanity Curriculum at Modern Public School.

This pandemic has been very detrimental for the global economy and more than 12 crore Indians have lost their jobs during the lockdown, and most of them are low-income workers that have close to nothing in terms of savings. This initiative, therefore, by the Modern Public School, on the auspicious occasion of Diwali is a Philanthropic effort, and it isn’t the only one that the school has taken up in a while. Recently, the school has also converted three of its buses into mobile education and food units. The three buses, namely Library on Wheels, Science Park on Wheels, and Roti Bank on Wheels have been doing rounds in the underprivileged areas of New Delhi and have been actively engaging with children there, allowing them to learn and have fun at the same time.

Talking about the initiative, Mrs. Alka Kapur, Principal, Modern Public School said, “This initiative is a two-pronged approach. On one hand, we’ve been able to bring happiness and joy to the underprivileged families by delivering the Joy Boxes which have been prepared out of love and compassion. While on the other hand, by getting the students involved in this initiative, we’ve been able to teach them that it is our responsibility to help those who cannot help themselves. So we’re helping the needy and teaching our children strong moral values at the same time. It’s a win-win!

“We chose to conduct this event on Diwali to get children involved in doing something good and productive and help them understand the true meaning of Diwali. Lord Rama was renowned for his generosity and helpful nature and I believe, the best way to celebrate his return from exile is to follow in his footsteps and do something good for the society. This is why we had sent e-banners to the parents to spread awareness about “Yudh Pradushan Ke Virudh”. I am extremely thankful to the parents, the students, the teachers and the staff members who made this initiative possible,” she further added.

Tulsi Kumar’s special gesture for kids this Diwali!

In 2020, Tulsi Kumar conquered the independent music space after making an impact in the playback arena. During the lockdown itself, the talented artist released multiple singles including ‘Tanhaai’, ‘Naam’ and ‘Zahra Thehro’ and ‘Tere Naal’ – all of which garnered a lot of success and topped music charts.

Feeling an immense amount of gratitude for her fans and well-wishers, Tulsi Kumar decided to bring in this Diwali season, by giving back to society and those less fortunate.

The popular singer visited an NGO that looked after orphans and in the true spirit of Diwali, celebrated the occasion with them with food, dance and music – all to bring a smile on their innocent faces.

When contacted revealed Tulsi Kumar, “For me, Diwali is a festival of giving, spreading light, smiles and happiness to those around. The year has been filled with many challenges, negative happenings and circumstances. So the best gift we could give anyone this Diwali is spreading smiles, happiness and positivity.” Adding that “When I met the kids of this NGO, I sang with them, danced with them, distributed Diwali decorations and sweets and we celebrated the festival together. It was such a great experience and the look on their faces filled me with so much joy. It also gave me the opportunity to discover their many talents. I encourage people in their small way to bring smiles and make this Diwali lit up in every way possible.”

‘Khushiyon Ka Ek Diya Jalao’ – Diwali Special episodes on &TV

The most awaited festival of lights, Diwali is here! This year, &TV through its ‘Khushiyon Ka Ek Diya Jalao’ campaign, encourages all its viewers to make a difference and light up the lives of the lesser privileged by spreading happiness, hope and togetherness in celebrations. In line with this, &TV artists, Daroga Happu Singh (Yogesh Tripathi) of Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, Vibhuti Narayan Mishra (Aasif Sheikh) of Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai and Gudiya (Sarika Bahroliya) of Gudiya Humari Sabhi Pe Bhari share a sneak peek into the special Diwali tracks of their shows. Yogesh Tripathi shares, “Happu discovers some old love letters which Beni (Vishwanath Chatterjee) warns him to destroy, but the paltan discovers it.

All hell breaks loose on Happu as he is reprimanded by Rajesh (Kamna Pathak) and Katori Amma (Himani Shivpuri) who order him to leave the house immediately. With nowhere to go, Happu devices a plan and asks Manohar to impersonate Sunita. Chaos arise when parallelly, the commissioner, stuck in a comparable situation, overhears Happu’s conversation and disguises as Sunita to seek shelter in Happu’s home. Interestingly, the real Sunita too lands up and manages to settle the confusion and chaos. In line with the spirit of Khushiyon Ka Ek Diya Jalao, the entire family decides to leave the differences behind and break into joyous Diwali celebrations.”

Aasif Sheikh shares, “Vibhuti is relishing the Laddoos made by Angoori Bhabi (Shubhangi Atre) when Prem informs him about a big Laddoos order for Diwali from Singhania Steel Company’s owner. Vibuti suggests Angoori’s name, but to persuade her, he will have first to convince Tiwari (Rohitashv Gour). Finally, both Tiwari and Angoori agree. While everyone is in a celebratory mood, Prem finds out that Mr Singhania has gone bankrupt, but does not disclose this to anyone.

Angoori and Tiwari are ready with the order, and that is when Vibhuti bumps into a beggar claiming to be Mr Singhania, leaving him shocked. Before he can inform anyone, Angoori and others find out, and Vibuti is reprimanded. As fate would have it, Mr Singhania regains his position and power and offers to buy Laddoos from Angoori at the double the market rate, much to everyone’s surprise and delight. The entire Modern Colony breaks into a big Diwali celebratory mode.”

Sarika Bahroliya comments, “This Diwali, there is Double Dhamaka in Gupta’s family! As the celebrations are in full force, the whole family gets flabbergasted and mystified seeing Gudiya in a different gipsy Avatar. But soon realise that it is not Gudiya but her doppelganger, Jhumri a gipsy, who is blunt, ill-mannered, and rude because she has seen a lot of struggle and has had a harsh life. She bullies everyone, and the family decides to let her stay, on Gudiya’s insistence. She does not like Gudiya and even tries to entice Guddu (Karam Rajpal) posing as Gudiya but fails.

A boy comes to see Gudiya but is left confused, seeing not one but two Gudiyas! To put an end to this, Gudiya proposes a role reversal and steps out of the house in the guise of Jhumri. Seeing how the entire family talks good about her even though she was always rude, Jhumri gets emotional and has a change of heart. She ends up divulging the exchange story to everyone, and the family goes to get back their own Laadli Gudiya. The plot gives out a strong message of how the goodness, kindness, and positiveness of Gudiya transforms Jhumri into becoming kind and warm with a realisation of seeing the good in people.”

Watch ‘Diwali Special’ episodes of Gudiya Humari Sabhi Pe Bhari at 9:00 pm, Happu Ki Ultan Paltan at 10:00 pm and Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hai at 10:30 pm only on &TV!

Treat your fur balls with brand new accessories this Diwali

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”- Mahatma Gandhi.

Diwali, the festival of lights is right around the corner. The preparations for the festival seem to be a little extra zealous this year given that this is one of the first festivals we will get to celebrate in 2020, while still maintaining regulatory norms. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown had made celebrating festivals dangerous and almost impossible. However, with certain relaxations coming into play, families and loved ones will have more access to meeting one another on this auspicious occasion.

The lockdown has been difficult on everyone but according to Science Daily, most pet owners say that their pets helped them cope emotionally with the lockdown. Now that things are opening up during Unlock 4.0 and we can finally meet our friends or loved ones again, our fur babies have taken a backseat.

Founder of Forfurs, Vanya Chandel adds, “Most pet owners know that making your pet happy is not an uphill battle, they are happy with a little extra food or an extended playtime, and as pet parents, we want the best for our furballs of happiness.”

Forfurs has a range of products that could show your fur baby how much they mean to you. Forfurs uses the finest raw materials and each product is handcrafted in their workshop by skilled artisans. It is a smart, sustainable, and stylish gift for your pet.

This Diwali, Forfurs has a few special offers to help you pamper your pet:
1) 10% discount on Martingales
2) 15% discount on Leash
3) Buy Collar+Leash together and get a 10% discount

The sale is ongoing and ends on the 30th of November, with plenty of time for Pet Parents to find the right fit for their pets.

Our pets are as much a part of our family as any other member, so why compromise on their happiness?

Amway India lights up this Diwali with holistic wellbeing; celebrates the festival with a virtual cook along session

In an endeavour to highlight the importance of healthy eating habits during the festive season, Amway India, one of the country’s leading FMCG direct selling company, hosted unique activities as a build-up to Diwali. The company organized, ‘Festival Thali’, a special virtual cook along with session for its direct retailer/ sellers and their customers across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh with an aim to promote holistic nutrition and wellbeing while emphasizing on the benefits of a balanced diet.

The initiative received overwhelming participation with over 2000 people who joined the popular Chef as he highlighted the art of integrating nutrition in one’s diet, even while enjoying festive delicacies to ensure optimum nutrition. As social distancing continues to be the norm, consumers are eyeing online platforms to come together and celebrate festivals. Leveraging on this emerging trend, Amway India is reiterating the importance of holistic wellbeing while fostering the spirit of community in a socially distant world.

Commenting on the initiative, Debasish Majumdar, Regional Head – West, Amway India said, “Food is an intrinsic part of our lives and holds special relevance during festive seasons. Eating nutritious food during the festive season becomes especially challenging with scrumptious delicacies all around. With health and wellbeing becoming a pivot for consumers, Do it Yourself (DIY) has emerged as a striking trend as people experiment with integrating optimum nutrition with their daily diet. Keeping up with our ethos of helping people live better, healthier lives, we are providing online platforms for people to come together and celebrate festivals in a healthy way. Aligned with this, Amway India has developed a unique initiative to create memorable and engaging product experiences for our direct retailer/ sellers and their customers.”

During the virtual sessions, renowned Chef gave an exciting twist to traditional recipes and shared some quick and easy-to-make healthy festive recipes with Amway’s Nutrilite All Plant Protein using Amway Queen Cookware and Queen Wok. The event encouraged participants to focus on a balanced nutritional intake during the festive season. Amway Queen Cookware is an ideal choice for the health-conscious consumers looking to indulge in festivities as it has been developed with VITALOK™ and OPTITEMP™ technology that helps in retaining the taste and nutrition of the food. It also offers excellent cooking performance with almost zero oil usage.

Embracing the digital wave, Amway India has been creating engaging virtual experiences for its direct retailer/ sellers and their consumers to strengthen brand connect while building communities based on shared passions and interests. As a part of this, Amway commemorated the International Yoga Day by organizing a one-of-a-kind digital health and wellness festival focusing on yoga and holistic wellbeing. Amway India also launched its first-ever virtual fitness series, ‘Fit Hai to Hit Hai’ to promote and spread awareness about fitness and healthy living, through various engagement activities. The company further leveraged its evolving digital presence to celebrate the festival of Ganesh Utsav by organizing a unique online healthy cooking competition.

Amway’s Nutrilite is the world’s No. 1 selling vitamins and dietary supplements brand with a strong legacy of more than 80 years in the plant-based approach to supplementation. It is a brand of choice among health enthusiasts as it caters to the evolving demands of consumers through product innovations in nutrition and herbal nutrition range. The Nutrition range of products are specially created for people who want to stay healthy and to help them bridge the nutritional gap in their daily.

Delight to Celebrate Diwali with Hilton Mumbai International Airport

Diwali popularly known as the Indian festival of lights symbolizes good over evil. Even though the pandemic hit our lives in the more unprecedented ways we must not get disheartened and keep the cheerful spirit high to celebrate the festival with our loved ones.

The cheer of Diwali is incomplete without food and the moments you spend with your closed ones. To cherish the joy of gastronomy delight and family bonding, this Diwali, Hilton Mumbai International Airport has curated a festive Diwali brunch offering at their all-day dining outlet ‘The Brasserie’.

In order to add more joy and sparkle to the festival of Diwali, Hilton Mumbai International Airport offers various ideas to plan surprises. You can plan a 2-3 days staycation at prestigious Hilton hotels and revive the feeling of warmth and hospitality. You can surprise family and friends with customized gift hampers.

Hilton Mumbai International Airport specializes in curating gift hampers for business associates and loved ones at budget-friendly prices. One can also add personal messages and wishes along with the hampers.

Mr. Brijesh Singh, F&B Manager at Hilton Mumbai International Airport says “We are delighted to welcome our dear patrons back at The Brasserie. Our team of talented chefs and associates have ensured that we create a memorable dining experience for our guests. The safety and hygiene of our guests is our prime goals. Our outlets are following the industry-defining sanitization protocols of Hilton CleanStay’’.

VMSIIHE invites entries for Diwali themed Culinary Competition

The festival of lights, Diwali is here again. The festival conjures up images of festivities, fireworks and most importantly an array of sweet treats.

Goa-based V. M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE) is organizing a culinary competition inviting students to participate and submit a recipe of their favourite Diwali sweet treat.

Submissions are invited from students of class XII from Goa as well as other states across the country.

To participate in the contest, students should submit the recipe along with a photograph of the prepared sweet as well as a short video of the preparation process.

Submissions can be sent to sebastian.breitinger@vmsiihe.edu.in on or before Friday, November 13, 2020. One can WhatsApp (9822807814) for competition rules and evaluation schemes and other further details.

Submission to be mailed to sebastian.breitinger@vmsiihe.edu.in

Date: On or before Friday, November 13, 2020
Eligibility to compete:  Class XII students from Goa as well as other states in India

Camp K12 makes this Diwali special; presents a unique option to digitally gift e-vouchers of its coding classes

Camp K12, the global online school for 21st-century skills and pioneers of kids coding courses, recently announced a unique and novel gifting option on the occasion of Diwali by unveiling e-vouchers of coding classes that could be gifted digitally from the safety of homes. Keeping in mind the current times and associated restrictions coupled with the growing passion to learn coding, this gifting option from Camp K12 enables users to send across a gift of education to children aged between 6-18 and add value to their journey of learning and growth. To access & gift, click https://gifts.campk12.com/

This one-of-its-kinds gifting option from Camp K12 comes at a special price of INR 2,100 (50% discounted from its original price of INR 4,200) and presents the receiver an option of choosing a 4-class coding package from innovative courses such as App Development, AI, 3D Game Development, Virtual Reality, Python and so on. Add to that the special one-on-one live interactive session, wherein the receiver kid gets an opportunity to jumpstart their coding journey with some of the world’s best teachers, a custom-built Live learning platform where the child earns coins and skills as he/she learns, and a specially curated curriculum, all of which remain unique to Camp K12.

Commenting on this offering on the occasion of Diwali, Anshul Bhagi, Founder, Camp K12, said, “I feel fortunate to have grown up in a family where my parents gave me gifts that inspired curiosity, a hunger to learn, a chance to explore: books, Lego blocks, robotics kits, and computer games where I could create freely. This Diwali, we wanted to enable something similar for our Camp K12 families – the ‘Gift of Education’ is a chance for parents to share with their children a Coding experience they may not have tried before but will soon fall in love with. This Diwali, as we light Diya’s across our homes, lets also light a fire of curiosity and creativity in the minds of children nationwide. Happy Diwali to all.”

With a decade long legacy of excellence in curriculum and pedagogy in the coding space, Camp K12 has come a long way from pre-empting the coding revolution in India to mentoring students, some of whom work with leading technology firms across the world. As a school of the future, Camp K12 believes in democratizing coding and making it accessible to a wider student base across the world, cutting across geographies and demographic divides.

So make Diwali special without stepping out and surprise your near and dear ones with the Gift of Education and become part of their growth journey.

Let go of the fear of stigma and judgement and make #YehDiwaliBachchonWaali says United We Care’s campaign for better mental health

This Diwali, United We Care, an app-based platform that integrates social, mental, financial, and legal support systems for men, women, youth and children and LGBTQ, is encouraging people to let out their inner child and share their stories and experiences. The integrated campaign called #YehDiwaliBachchonWaali, launched across various digital platforms, focuses on bringing back the carefree childhood days as well as being able to have some heart-to-heart conversations. The underlying idea is to encourage adults to talk openly without inhibitions.

The first video talks about how we express ourselves easily as children, share and forget easily. As we grow up, we are bound by the worry of stigma, judgement, and overthinking. It stems from the concept of gifting everyone better mental health and well-being during the festive season by unleashing the unabashed and hopeful spirit of the child within each of us. Given how Diwali coincides with Children’s Day this year, the campaign highlights the essence of childhood and encourages adults to open up and talk.

The campaign also introduces a team of experts including life coaches, psychologists, and lawyers who share their childhood experiences that led them to take up the professions they are in today. For instance, a lawyer who saw her father losing a land case as a child decided to take up the profession to ensure no one else undergoes the same experience. Right after she became a lawyer, she helped her father win the case. As they narrate their stories, they also “Pledge to Create a Happier You” with United We Care.

Speaking about this, Shumita Kakkar, Founder, United We Care, said, “This year has been full of uncertainties and we are facing a second pandemic in the form of mental health issues. However, these issues are not new but have been there since ages. Today, when things are so complicated, it is time once again to rewind to our childhood, a time of free spirits, endless conversations, and when every day was a new beginning. As we become older, we leave this positivity behind. United We Care’s campaign this Diwali is about unleashing your inner child and speak up openly about anything under the sun – without the fear of stigma and for better mental health. Together, we pledge to create a happier you.”

United We Care frequently undertakes campaigns to raise awareness around mental health issues, which is the first step. #YehDiwaliBachchonWaali centres around open conversations we had as children and how they can happen only when the stigma is removed and we can talk without the fear of being judged.

United We Care is a ground-breaking initiative that doesn’t focus only on the problem, but rather on the root causes and provides holistic solutions to its users. It aims to be the support system that is usually missing in the fast-paced digital world of the day. It is the first brand that is going ahead to create a sensitized and valuable support system for the help seekers.

United We Care has also recently launched its emotional health virtual assistant Stella who is available to chat or talk to the users 24×7. Stella can help with Basic CBT (Cognitive behavioural therapy) CAT (Cognitive analytical therapy), humanistic, interpersonal or couple therapy. She is a one-of-her-kind assistant with multiple decision trees and the ability to move negative sentiments to positive conversations.

Get your home Diwali ready with these 5 Cleaning Service brands

If your Diwali cleaning checklist is giving you heartburn, then it’s time for some outsourcing it to. Earlier, Diwali and other holidays meant all-hands-on-deck, scrubbing, polishing, etc. but things are changing with the rise of service apps offering deep cleaning services using top-of-the-line chemicals and commercial-grade machines so that you and your help don’t need to sweat it out.

Here are some servicing companies which you can pick to make your abode festive ready.

1) Astute Care

Astute Outsourcing Services, a specialist company in health and wellbeing services in India, launched its Sanitization & Disinfection Services, Astute Care in Delhi & NCR and Kochi. The new services are aimed at the sanitization of Home, Workplace, Commercial Spaces and Industrial space. With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing daily all over the world, it is important to follow all precautionary measures while sanitizing an office or home. With years of expertise in Sanitizing and Disinfection Services in India, the highly trained team of Astute Care can provide effective services at home, office and industrial area. The team has expertise in disinfecting sites and help prevent the risk of infection. Astute Care team, using specialist equipment can effectively and professionally decontaminate sites, including homes, offices, clinics, shops, etc. They are available in Kochi, Delhi & NCR region.

Perks: Sanitization free with Home cleaning, Carpet cleaning & Sofa cleaning

Price: Home deep cleaning for 1BHK starts at Rs. 5459

2) Urban Company

This “managed marketplace” dominates the industry and most often recommended across the cities we looked at. With over 60,000 cleanings per month, UrbanClap can quickly adapt to feedback, tweaking its algorithm, ratings system and offerings regularly. It originally farmed out home cleaning to other companies completely, but for the last eight months, individuals contracted to UrbanClap provide “unbundled” cleaning (bathroom, kitchen, sofa, etc.), while full home cleaning, which requires a team, will likely move in that direction soon. This direct involvement has seen a “dramatic” improvement in quality, ratings, and repeat customers. They are available in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi/NCR, Chandigarh Tricity, Jaipur, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune.

Perks: Up to Rs 10,000 of insurance against damages; improved customer support; quick turnaround time.

Price: Home deep cleaning for 1BHK starts at Rs. 4,499

3) Joboy

Joboy takes a slightly different approach by providing a wide range of services (you can book tickets or deliveries), within its local focus (Kerala, though the company is slowly expanding elsewhere). House cleaning is done by verified partners, some of whom can take time to confirm. They are available in Kochi, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Thiruvalla, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur.

Perks: a 60-day guarantee of satisfaction or work is redone.

Price: In Kerala, home deep cleaning for a 1BHK starts at Rs. 2,099.

4) House Joy

Housejoy has expanded slowly, emphasising its “stringent” induction process, which includes trial cleaning for a panel of family and friends. Housejoy offers a variety of things but is slightly more focussed on building services including renovations and makeovers. They are available in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Pune; limited presence in Coimbatore, Vijayawada, Surat, Baroda, and Ahmedabad.

Perks: Customisable services, 100 per cent satisfaction or a free re-work, subscription packages available.

Price: Home deep cleaning for 1BHK starts at Rs.2,500; with floor-scrubbing machine Rs. 4,600 (currently discounted to Rs. 3,600).

5) Mr. Right

Mr. Right started in 2013 in Delhi as a company with workers on its rolls, before scaling up to an aggregation model—though one quite engaged with its partners. And it’s easy to see exactly what you’re paying for. Mr. Right survived because they have been bootstrapped since Day One as they’ve stuck to their roots providing home services. They are available in Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune.

Perks: Focus on home services, high customization; the app gives the customer a high level of control.

Prices: Home deep cleaning for 1BHK starts at Rs. 4,999.